PhD defence: Ergogenic benefits of supplementing with ß-alanine and sodium bicarbonate on high intensity exercise

Signe Refsgaard Bech

PhD thesis

When elite athletes compete for medals in high-intensity events at international championships, it is often few 1/100 of a second that determine their final position. During high-intensity physical activity, a rapid fatigue development occurs, among others in skeletal muscles, which is limiting performance. Intake of fatigue delaying supplements could be of crucial importance for an improved performance.

In this PhD thesis, potential performance enhancing effects of the two supplements beta-alanine and sodium bicarbonate were investigated. The potential effects of the two supplements were investigated separately and combined in different high-intensity physical tests in groups of elite and well-trained athletes.

One of the results from the PhD thesis shows that a combined intake of beta-alanine and sodium bicarbonate improve well-trained athletes ability to sustain high intensity exercise for a longer time period, while none of the two supplements alone affect performance neither in elite nor well-trained athletes.

2018, 120 pages.

Time

31 August 2018, 13.00

Place

Auditorium 1, August Krogh Building, Universitetsparken 13, DK-2100 Copenhagen

Opponents

Professor Ylva Hellsten (chair), Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Professor Wim Derave, Ghent University, Belgien.

Professor Craig Sale, Nottingham Trent University, England.

Supervisor

Professor Bente Kiens, Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.